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CUSTOMS TO MAKE HONG KONG VISITS
July 26, 2007

U.S. Customs will be sending jump teams to visit Hong Kong factories for two weeks commencing August 10, 2007. In the past, where Customs was not able to arrange visits, or where record requests were not properly addressed by the factories, goods purchased from those factories were detained, excluded, and sometimes seized. You should alert your Hong Kong sources that Customs is coming to visit factories so that it will not be a surprise. If a factory is contacted by Customs, it will be beneficial to find out: (1) who contacted the factory, (2)who from Customs was present at the visit (business cards should be requested),(3) what records they reviewed (what day they visited, what styles were involved, what records were requested, what records were produced), (4) inquire whether the factory was able to provide all of the information requested, and (5) any observations made by the Customs officials over the course of the visit. If there is a problem with a particular factory, it is better to find out before goods are detained.